Out of Time
by RenRenTheGreat
Summary: Their eyes met, and the aching tenderness in those dark eyes were almost heartbreaking, and the pause seemed to last forever. AU ZoSan
1. Chapter 1

Out of Time

An AU ZoSan fic

"What the fuck happened?"

"We stopped."

A poisonous glare, just barely visible in the dim, flickering emergency light, "I know that asshole. Any other obvious thoughts you feel the need to share?" The sentence was punctuated with the terrible groaning of elevator cables, the contraption jerking down for a couple inches before coming to another screeching halt.

"We're going to fall."

"Yes, yes we are." Sarcasm, of course. The click of his lighter seemed to echo in the small space, hands shaking just barely as he lit his cigarette, "Fuck, if I have to die, why does it have to be with you?"

There was an indifferent snort from the other, "Finally something he have in common." The cords keeping them from death strained, accompanied by the painful sound of metal on metal.

"How much longer, do you think?" If asked, he would have vehemently denied any fear in his voice, but really, what was the point? Sometime soon – and it would be soon, he knew that much – their single thread holding them safe would snap, and with it, so would they.

"Dunno." There was the same indifference that was always in the man's voice, and this time it made him snap, fingers clamping down so hard on his cigarette that it broke.

"Don't you want to say anything more substantial in our last moments of life?!"

Their eyes met, and the aching tenderness in those dark eyes were almost heartbreaking, and the pause seemed to last forever before finally he spoke, "I love you."

Eyes wide, Sanji opened his mouth to speak, simultaneous with the loud snap of the last cord, and the world went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

For the record, this was in no way supposed to be continued. It was originally written as a one-shot, and I had every intention of keeping it as such. However, due to the response I received thinking otherwise, and the persistence of my roommate, here's chapter 2 anyways. Don't blame me if it sucks, I don't even know what's going to happen anymore.

Yes, it's still short. Yes, all chapters of this are going to be short. I purposely used a shorter style of writing in the first chapter, intending for it to stand alone, and I don't want to change styles in the middle of a story, so you all get to deal with short chapters. Sorry.

Out of Time

They said he was lucky to be alive. A fall like that should have killed him, they said, left him with far more than some broken bones and a concussion. They even called it a miracle.

It sure as hell didn't feel like a miracle. When Sanji closed his eyes, desperate for even a small amount of sleep, all he could see was that heartbroken look on Zoro's face, his mind resonating with the sound of that deep voice saying those three words. How long now had he'd longed to hear those words? He was a ladies' man for sure, but there was never any room for actual _love_ in there. But now here was Zoro – _Zoro_, of all people! – offering it to him in what should have been the last moments of their lives.

All he wanted was to forget the feeling of those perpetually hot hands pinning him to the ground, sheltering him from the debris. He could still hear the pained noises that broke from Zoro as a slab of metal hit him on the head with a deafening crack, could still feel the warmth of the other man's blood dripping down on him from whatever injury _should_ have been given to Sanji.

They said he was lucky to be alive. They said nothing about Zoro.


	3. Chapter 3

Out of Time

Oh look, a new one already. Imagine that. I still have no idea where the hell I'm going with this thing, but I suppose we'll all find out in time. Much love to all you awesome people reviewing, you spur me on.

Time always trudged forward slowly in the hospital, minutes felt like hours and days felt like years. It had been three days since the accident, three grueling, sleepless days. Any question he asked about Zoro would be deflected in one way or another, every goddamn doctor and nurse in this place refused to answer him. He'd overheard something about him not being 'mentally stable enough', and with words like that it could hardly be good.

Did that mean Zoro was dead? Honestly Sanji couldn't really think of any other possibility anymore, not when it was being kept a secret from him. The doctors thought they were sparing him by not telling him of his friend's death, unaware that the two of them were anything _but_ friends. Hell, hearing that the bastard was dead would be just the pick-up that Sanji needed after being confined in this hellhole.

Really, it was better off this way. Now he wouldn't have to put up with the idiotic swordsman whenever there was a gathering of their friends, he wouldn't have to feign pleasantries that would just end up being ignored anyways. The others would be sad, but eventually they would move on, and Sanji's life would be all the better for it.

Or at least, so he tried to tell himself. The burning, aching hole in his heart told him otherwise.


End file.
